Image copyright EPA Image caption The evacuation came following concern about the levels of carbon dioxide in the town centre
Vulcano, an Italian town of some 5,000 residents, has been evacuated in order to reduce levels of carbon dioxide.
The army has deployed four machines in the town in the Apennine mountains to deal with the problem, the BBC’s Sanjoy Majumder reports from the scene.
Residents were relocated from the town centre on Tuesday, and will remain there for at least 24 hours.
This is not the first time the town has been evacuated over the issue. The buildings in the centre were also evacuated in 2014, to cut down on emissions.
“The decision came from the people and the authorities only as the town faced increasing problems due to the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air,” said the prefect.
“Because of this, the authorities decided to give top priority to ensuring the safety of the residents and public and to keep the town of Vulcano safe in case of an emergency.”